Pingtung Academy Introduction
In 1814 (the 19th year of the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty), the deputy of the then Tamsui County, Wu Xingcheng, with the help of local scholar Guo Cui and Lin Mengyang, initiated the establishment of the Pingtung Academy (also known as the Confucius Temple) to promote local cultural and educational development. Although the academy has undergone multiple relocations and renovations, it still retains the original layout of its lecture hall, worship hall, and dormitories, fully showcasing the spatial characteristics of a traditional academy. It is a historical monument with deep roots in Pingtung and is the only academy building in the region. The Pingtung Academy was first constructed in what is now Zhongshan Park, consisting of 36 dormitories, with the front hall serving as the lecture hall and the rear hall enshrining deities such as Wenchang Dijun, Chengzi, and Zhouzi. In 1895 (the 21st year of the Guangxu era), the Pingtung Academy was converted into a Confucius Temple dedicated to Confucius, with Mencius, Yan Zi, Si Zi, and Zeng Zi, the four great sages, alongside Zhouzi, Zhuzi, Cheng Yi, Cheng Hao, and Zhang Zi as the five Confucian scholars. However, due to a lack of funding for repairs, the temple gradually fell into disrepair. In 1937, the Japanese rulers planned to relocate the Confucius Temple, but following a call from Japanese scholars to preserve it, it was dismantled and moved to its current site on Shengli Road, maintaining the original appearance of the academy. Nevertheless, after the relocation, the temple suffered from neglect for a long time, leading to its deteriorating condition. It was not until 1977, when the then Pingtung County magistrate enlisted renowned architect Han Baode to oversee the restoration project, that the temple was finally restored to its former glory in 1979. The rebuilt Confucius Temple features an expanded courtyard, with pavilions connecting the front and rear halls. The central hall was converted into the Dacheng Hall, while the rear hall became the Chongsheng Shrine, with an additional single-slope corridor and a wall inscribed with "Nine Ren Palace Wall." Four stone tablets were also preserved to showcase the history of the academy's construction. In 1985, the Pingtung Academy was designated as a national heritage site of Level 3, holding significant cultural value and well-preserved historical heritage.
Pingdong Academy
